Jealousy Attacks
by crazykittymomma
Summary: Hiccup attends Astrid's swim meet, and it throws him out of his comfort level. But, he wants to support her so he sucks it up. Little does he know, someone is not happy to see the two together. Modern Fic.
1. Chapter 1

**I am enjoying writing these little one shots. Again, based off of other ideas I've developed after working on "Morals." Also, I have a near-completed prequel called "Adjustments." If you need to reference those to maybe better understand this one-shot, it is completed and posted.**

**I've been thinking that there hasn't been enough..."friction" in "Morals" other than Snotlout bullying Hiccup. Also, since I am considering developing that story more off of the site, I thought about throwing something like this into the mix. I love Hiccup and Stoick moments almost as much as I love Hiccup and Astrid moments...and I would also like to do more Valka and Hiccup moments in the future.**

**But, here we are. I present "Jealous."**

**...**

"Can you just pull over right here for a minute, Dad?" Hiccup asked his father.

They were in the car outside of the local fitness center. Hiccup hadn't been in the building since he'd tried to do soccer and basketball as a much younger child. Hiccup wasn't particularly good at contact sports, which is why he enjoyed hiking and running so much more. Not only racing other people, but also beating your best times, and striving to get better than what you were at the beginning of a season, always gave him a form of accomplishment. He had saved the stats from the beginning of his first track and cross country meets in a book, and had often reflected back on them to see where he had improved in his times. He'd also been able to compare where everyone else had been at in the prior years. Seeing his teammates improving always made him happy as well.

"Hiccup, the meet's already started," Mr. Vast said. "You need to go get a seat-"

That was why Hiccup had told his father the meet was starting at two, not three like schedule. His father was a bear to pull from his desk today. In his father's eyes, they were already late. Hiccup, he was right on time.

But, he was starting to second guess even coming to Astrid's swim meet at all now.

"Give me a minute," he said quietly, looking down at the floor of the car. He eyed his prosthetic, worried not only about how it would be on wet tile, but also if he could actually sit in a room with more than twenty or thirty other students. The classroom and school atmosphere was a more controlled setting for him. Yes, he was picked on for his leg, questions were asked about it, but there was always a teacher close by to bring their attention back to the real world. The students were always monitored. At one of these meets, he knew they wouldn't be under someone's thumb like they were in school.

He knew how it was during his track and cross country meets. Typically, their coach was too busy worrying about who was running and making sure the other teammates were prepared to run. The rest, well...They kind of just hung in packs or ran around, enjoying some freedom.

He wanted to tell his father his concern, worried that someone would ask or mention his bum leg. He'd gone to school with everyone on the team practically his whole life. He'd been friends or good acquaintances with most of them, because most of the team did track and cross country as well. But, since his accident, he'd withdrawn. And, hadn't spoken to most of them in so long. Even when they did speak to him, he often felt like he was being studied or stared at because he was different.

"It'll be all right, Hiccup," his father said to him gently. Hiccup felt a squeeze on his shoulder. "Just go find Astrid, and support her. That's what she wants you there for."

Hiccup took in a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Nodding, he stepped out of the car, told his father thanks and "I'll text you when I am ready" and headed inside.

He presented the front desk with his student ID to a blond who was talking to a woman with a small child at the front desk, and she let him in through the locked gate. The place had updated its security over the recent years. Too many people attempting to get past and into the facility without paying, he assumed.

Then he saw it. The metal scanner just three paces from the gate. His stomach twisted a little bit, and he hesitated for a moment, but then walked through it. The alarm sounded as he'd expected it to.

A dark haired woman stopped him and called him over to the desk, asking him to empty his pockets. She was small and plump, and she looked at him over her dark glasses.

He turned out his pockets, willing his voice to say something to her about his leg, but he couldn't speak for some reason. Why was he so nervous? This wasn't an issue to mention in the school office. Perhaps it was because he knew Mrs. Butchers? He was completely out of his comfort zone.

"You don't have a knife?" the woman asked him. "Most of you kiddos carry a pocket knife-" She asked this gently, and Hiccup could feel her eyeing him over, trying to label him as a troublemaker or a good kid, just like the teachers did at school. But, she had a kind look in her eyes, Hiccup could see.

"Ummm-" Hiccup backed up from the desk a little bit, and reached down to his pant leg, gently pulling up the cuff. She peered over the desk and saw his blue attachment.

"Oh-" she said gently. She then looked back at him and gave him a kind smile. "Go on in, Mr. Vast-"

Hiccup felt his insides roll. How did she know his name?

"Enjoy the meet, kiddo," she said with a kind smile, then turned her attention attention back to her duties.

Hiccup took the long hallway down towards the pool. He could already hear echoing voices, the sound of water, and laughter coming from behind the large metal door at the entrance. Taking in a deep breath, he pulled on the handle, making sure someone was not behind him, and he stepped into the pool area.

The smell of chlorine hit him in the face, just as the echoing of voices and splashes hit his ears. He hadn't smelled the chemical in years. Frankly, he couldn't remember the last time he'd gone swimming was. He knew how to swim, but not like the swim team by any means...Well, he used to know how to swim. He doubted he'd be able to now.

He'd apparently walked in right when they were doing their warm ups. He could see about fifty or sixty bodies moving through the eight lanes of water. Turning and looking around him, he spotted a set of bleachers close by. Making sure to stay close to the wall, he walked cautiously towards the end of them. No one had taken a seat on that end. Perhaps he would get lucky and no one would sit so close to him. Taking a seat, he tried his best to relax.

The swimmers moved with such ease through the water. It appeared as though with two or three kicks some of them were halfway across the pool. He watched them do their flip-turns with such ease. Their arm movements appeared to be synchronized.

And he couldn't identify which one was Astrid. He could tell that the other school was swimming in the four farthest lanes by their gray caps. Astrid was somewhere in the mix of the water dancing purple and yellow caps.

People were beginning to come in and take their seats. Some lined walls with pop up chairs in the sections where there were no bleachers. Beside him in a bare spot between the next clump of bleachers laid a sea of bags and towels...

Those were the swim team towels and bags...

He'd sat right next to where the team had camped out at.

His stomach caved. Glancing around himself, hoping to find a spare spot to sit. The only bare spot he saw was across the pool area. He'd have to walk all the way around the perimeter of the pool to take a seat. He could see the water shining on the pool desk. There was no way he was going to get over there on his bum leg without falling, he was confident of that.

He could leave. Without Astrid realizing he was there. He pulled out his cell phone when-

"You made it!" he heard.

He jumped, and glancing up he realized Astrid was standing about ten feet from where he sat, the biggest smile on her face. She hugged her body, shaking as she stood waiting for her turn to walk towards the diving blocks.

Too late to back out now, he thought, giving her a gentle wave. Taking in a deep breath, he watched the end of their warm up.

Coach Carr called their swimmers out first, and ushered them away from the diving blocks. This was when his peers started coming towards their belongings, and Hiccup pretended to look more interested at his phone than he did them. Perhaps if eye contact had not been established they would pay him no mind. They were all busy chattering about how "cold" they were when they were out of the pool, wrapping themselves up in towels to keep warm.

Then, someone cold and damp took a seat beside him, and he knew it was Astrid.

"I'm so glad you could come!" she said with enthusiasm.

Hiccup gave her a nervous smile back as he made eye contact with her, slipping his phone back into his red hoodie pocket. "Thank you for inviting me-" He noticed markings on the inside of her right arm as she adjusted her towel around herself. He studied them for a moment. He saw #3, #6, #8, #12, #23 and #25 in a row, and then H2, H3, H1, H1, H1, and H2. And abbreviations like BK, BR, BK, IM, RLY and FL.

Astrid caught him looking at her arm and she laughed. "I've temporarily been branded."

"These were the marks I saw on your arm the night of the accident-" (_***for those who know "Morals" this was not in the story but this is for the sake of the story_)

Astrid nodded. "I was on my way home from a meet that night."

Hiccup nodded. "So, what does FL mean?"

"Fly-" Astrid said. "Well-Butterfly-"

Due to the growing noise, they were leaned in close to each other, practically in each other's ear. If it hadn't been for the echoing voices around them, he knew most would have heard their conversation. But, thanks to the commotion no one could hear-at least he didn't think so.

"And this-" He pointed to IM.

"It's a variation of strokes. So, I dive and I start out with butterfly for 25 meters, then when I do my two hand touch, I go to backstroke, then I flip turn and swim back down with breaststroke-and after that I swim back freestyle and finish-"

"What's your record?" Hiccup asked her.

She grimaced. "Minute forty-two. I can't beat it-"

"Astrid-that's still impressive-"

She continued explaining to him the other markings on her arm, when the official started talking over the loudspeaker. They were prompted to stand for the National Anthem. Hiccup nearly lost his footing on the bleacher step, but thankfully Astrid grabbed the top part of his arm to keep him steady, giving him a little laugh as he smiled at her, showing some relief.

"Sorry-" he breathed as they sat down from the National Anthem.

"No reason to be-" she said gently. "I can't tell you how many times we've fallen off the sides of these bleachers-" She glanced at her arm quickly, then stood up. "Hold my towel-" and she was leaving to go get behind the blocks.

Hiccup watched in amazement as the swimmers dove, getting splashed with drops. Lots of screaming erupted around him, and he watched Coach Carr pacing the deck, screaming words that not only could Hiccup not hear, but also the rest of the swimmers. He was certain their screams were muffled between the water and their swim caps.

Astrid was in the water at the start of her heat. She gripped the bar, pulled herself up into a fetal position, and once the mechanical "beep" sounded, they were off. Hiccup watched her swim from one end of the pool to the next, and watched in amazement as she flipped over to her front before she hit the wall, flip turned and was heading back towards the starting line.

She won her heat. 32.3 seconds.

She came back and sat down beside him, grabbing her towel to wrap back up in before taking a seat beside him again.

They sat and watched a few meets together, Astrid explaining to Hiccup what each teammate was about to do. In her hands she held what she called a "heat sheet." Around them, Hiccup noticed a couple of other teammates and parents holding them as well.

Astrid left shortly after to do another heat, and returned again, shaking more than she had been the first time. At one point, someone sitting on the floor next to them offered her a few potato chips from their canister of Pringles, which she eagerly accepted. Hiccup knew she was trying to keep her carbs up for her meet for energy.

After Heat 12, she had a long break, and during this break, she sat down next to Hiccup and leaned against his shoulder for a moment. For some reason he had a feeling she just wanted to be close to him, even for a brief moment.

"I'm freezing-" she said gently, then turned to her right to look at her teammates, just as Hiccup was debating on whether or not to put his arm around her shoulder. "Hey, Nat-can you toss me my bag?"

Hiccup's face grew red when she did, and he turned back to looking at his hands in his lap. He heard her speak to someone, a boy-Avery Keegan, a senior-and a laugh about how he was always eating a large container of pasta salad during the meets.

"Gotta keep up tradition-" he said, clearly with a mouth full of food.

Astrid pulled a baggie of peanut butter and cracker sandwiches from her bag, and offered Hiccup one after she pulled one out and placed it into her mouth. He shook his head, placing a hand up, but gave her a gentle smile as she put the baggie back into her bag.

They sat together for a few more minutes, just watching their surroundings. Suddenly-

"Hey, Astrid-" It was Norah Vance. Hiccup's eyes darted sideways slightly, and she was standing with Jake Vickerson, one of Hiccup's old running partners from cross country. He felt his face flush, and he struggled with not gaining his eye contact. "Do you have fifty cents I can borrow? I need a Gatorade-"

Astrid shook her head, "Sorry, hun, I-"

"Wait-" Hiccup said gently. He gripped Astrid's shoulder to stand up, but he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out two shiny quarters from his pocket. He couldn't put his head up all the way, being timid as he was, but he leaned over slightly and held the quarters out to her.

"T-thank you, Hiccup," she said shakily. "I can pay you-"

"It's okay," Hiccup said gently, raising his head a little bit. He gave her a weak smile.

Jake narrowed his eyes at Hiccup, and had been caught. It wasn't a mean-mug of a narrow, more like feeling him out. Norah grabbed his hand and led him past them on the bleachers.

"That was nice of you," Astrid said to him as he took his seat again beside her.

"Are you insinuating I'm not nice-" Hiccup asked her in a joking tone.

"Not at all," Astrid said with a laugh, and he felt her move her pinky so that it would intertwine with his right one. "You just haven't-engaged-"

Hiccup shrugged. "Not a whole lot-no." He felt his defense go up, feeling his insecurity throbbing on his stump for a second. He tensed a little, suddenly worried that he was about to have a phantom pain come. But, after a moment, no more pain came. He'd probably only dreamed of it...

"You all right?" Astrid asked him gently in his ear as more screams and echos erupted. The buzzer went off again.

He looked up at her, and forced a weak smile.

"I'm definitely out of my comfort zone."

"I know," she said, whispering closer in his ear. "But, I am glad you are here."

"Me, too."

...

**So, I think I am going to make this into a 2-3 shot. I liked the stopping point right here, and I have more ideas floating through my head. Granted, we aren't even at the whole climax of the story. I hope you enjoy this as much as I am writing it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I started writing this chapter the night I posted the first chapter. But, as an adult with two jobs, a house full of animals, and 20 some other responsibilities...I am just now getting this posted. Sorry for the delay...**

**Oh my GODS! HTTYD 3 was phenomenal! Funny, corkey, heartfelt, love, and so much more! It was absolutely perfect! I feel like the creators watched some of our stories and pulled ideas! AHHHHHHH! It was so perfect in every way! I won't spoil it for anyone, but I cannot wait to see it again!**

**Now, onto this story!**

**...**

Hiccup felt himself ease up not long later. Literally, his tension he'd been holding in his shoulders and neck rolled slowly off of his body the longer he sat and just talked to Astrid. Outside of taking her out to dinner just a few weeks back, when they shared their first kiss, they hadn't actually been out together at all. Their time together was at school or when they were with their parents and Katherine. There was the occasional hour here and hour there, and the hike they took together on that chilly morning he'd surprised her with...on one of his much better days he'd had.

Astrid continued to explain the different strokes and techniques to him. And, even though he wasn't completely understanding half of what she was telling him- he simply liked listening to the sound of her voice.

"I'm probably boring you-" she said with a nervous laugh.

"No!" he responded quickly. "I'm just-taking it all in." He stretched his body a little bit, realizing exactly how stiff he'd become sitting on the hard metal bleacher. "I've never been to one of these things-"

"I know," Astrid said into his ear quietly. He almost didn't hear her. Suddenly, he realized how shy she suddenly became. "I've wondered if I'd ever seen you here, and I realized I couldn't remember ever seeing you at a swim meet."

"I don't get out much." He shrugged a shoulder, becoming almost as equally shy for some reason. He watched her eyes dance towards his shoes and he followed her gaze. "Even before this happened." Tapping the knee of his bad leg, he looked at her and gave her a half smile.

They sat together until her next heat, which was with Norah. Hiccup watched them walk away together. He folded her towel up for her and wished he'd known to grab a second one for her. Despite the warmth of the air - Hiccup was actually beginning to get hot in his hoodie- he knew in her one piece she had to be freezing.

Hiccup pulled off his hoodie, and rolled up the sleeves on his black shirt in an attempt to cool himself a little bit. Note to self, next time don't wear black.

"Nice scar-" And, there was Jake talking behind his back. The peer descended himself to Hiccup and Astrid's bench. Hiccup felt himself holding his breath.

He found himself glancing down at his long, pink scar on his right arm, knowing Jake was still doing the same. His neck was growing hot. Instincts told him to cover up his arm, so he found himself hugging it tightly across his chest to do just that.

"Dude-"

Hiccup made eye contact with Jake, even though he didn't want to. He felt he needed to. "I-"

"Did it hurt?" Jake asked him suddenly, and almost as gentle as a small child. Catching his eye again, he could see the redness developing on Jake's cheeks. Was the guy sorry for pointing his arm out like that?

Then, Hiccup noticed the large bag of chips Jake was holding out to him. Hiccup, not wanting to be rude, took a small handful.

"It did-"

The buzzer sounded, and Astrid and Norah were bobbing up and down in the water with half a dozen other girls.

"Norah's pretty fast," Hiccup said gently to Jake, looking for a change of subject.

"Back stroke is her best event."

They watched for a few more seconds, watching Norah take the lead by at least three yards.

"Do you remember when I tore my ACL?"

Hiccup felt a shiver go up his spine. He'd been there. He'd actually been the one to stop in the meet and pick Jake up out of the hole he'd stepped in. Then, a minute in, they caught up with Jordan Bradson, who'd taken Jake's other arm and together the three completed the race.

"I can't forget that," Hiccup said gently. "I thought-"

"We all thought it was a bad sprain," Jake responded, shaking his bag of chips, re-positioning the crumbs to the bottom of the bag. This reminded Hiccup he had a few of them in his hand, and he should eat them. "Worst pain I'd had in my life-" He seemed to trail off.

Hiccup could relate. He remembered his father trying to keep him on a medication and he refused it, trying to fight through the pain a week into recovery.

"It was a long winter," Jake finished. "I wasn't allowed to swim."

Hiccup had a brief second when he started wondering why Jake was telling him any of this. Perhaps he was trying to make small talk since the girls weren't around. It seemed as though Jake and Norah had distanced themselves from the large group to their right. For what reason, if any reason, Hiccup wasn't sure.

The girls were back, and Hiccup watched Astrid slide into her seat, Jake twisting his legs out of the way to let her back to her place beside Hiccup. She grabbed her towel and wrapped herself up in it.

"I didn't beat my time-" Norah said disappointingly. Hiccup caught Jake grimace, and he glanced at the timing board. Apparently, it was a look of guilt for not paying attention to the heat.

"You'll get it next year," Astrid said excitedly. "You were only a tenth of a second away!"

"If I didn't botch up my dive-"

"You say you botched it up-" Jake said, "-But your dives are always flawless-"

"Ha!" Norah interrupted him. "I nearly fell this time and ended up in the next lane with Astrid-"

"Next year!" Astrid said enthusiastically. "We have all summer to prepare!"

Hiccup glanced away for a moment, hugging his arm closer.

He remembered when Jake and a few of the guys on the team would meet up and run the early morning hours at least three days a week in the summer. It was like pulling teeth getting his father to drop him off. Luckily, Jake was only a few blocks away, and his father was nice enough to pick him up on his way to their meeting spot. They'd run for over an hour and condition, then would meet up again, hang out at McDonald's and have breakfast together. Then Jake's mom would pick most of them up in her dark blue mini-van and bring them all to their respective houses. Then, Jake would nap or draw, perhaps read until his father came home from work.

"So, Hiccup-"

Jake Vickerson pulled Hiccup's attention from his thoughts. Leaning back, diverting his eyes around the backside of the girls, Hiccup made contact wit him.

"Y-yeah-?" Hiccup asked.

"Where have you-" Jake paused. "-We've missed ya on the team, man," he said gently, which made Hiccup's shoulders go rigid again.

Outside of track and cross country, the two had never really talked much about their personal lives. Hiccup knew Jake was the oldest of six kids, and much of Jake's time was spent taking care of his siblings when he wasn't at one of the team functions. Multiple times Hiccup caught Jake sneaking out of the group during meets to go help his mother with one of the babies. Jake was seventeen, and the youngest was just about to turn one, Hiccup assumed.

Hiccup was a quiet kid, and never really shared a lot about himself to anyone other than Dex. He was the guy everyone said always showed a smile, but never talked. They were right. He rarely ever did talk. This way, no one could say much more about him other than he was quiet and reserved.

That was until he fell last summer. And he became the quiet kid with the prosthetic...

That was until Astrid. She saw him differently.

Astrid's hand grabbed his upper arm suddenly, giving it a squeeze with her hand. This reminded him to take a calming breath.

"I-I haven't actually been able to do much," Hiccup said quietly, and slowly. He hoped Jake could hear him through the loudness of the crowd. "My PT and I haven't discussed future sports-just yet-"

"I didn't mean it like that," Jake said suddenly. Hiccup imagined the boy's ears were turning red, matching his cheeks previously. That was something he did notice about Jake. Whenever he was nervous or stressed, he'd always go scarlet. "I-I mean-we just haven't seen you around so much, is all-I"

Hiccup could tell that Jake wasn't trying to insinuate anything in regards to his leg. Making conversation, and Hiccup could sense he felt like he was failing at it.

Hiccup glanced away for a moment, trying to calm his anxiety itch. He almost felt like getting up and leaving simply because he didn't know how to respond, and he didn't want to make the situation stranger than what was already taking place. He felt Astrid squeeze his shoulder again. This reminded him she was right there. Which, he was thankful for. He couldn't do this alone.

"I-I miss it, too," Hiccup said letting out a deep breath. "Since-this-"

"How did it happen?" Norah asked him.

"Norah-" Astrid elbowed her hard.

"No, it's okay," Hiccup said. He closed his eyes, and sighed. He almost let everything go, pretended again as though he didn't hear or hadn't responded. Just like he used to do, and had been doing the last several months. Truthfully, only Astrid and Katherine knew, outside of his father, and a handful of school officials. Dex didn't even know the whole story, still.

Perhaps-

"I-I fell-" Hiccup began. He caught Norah and Jake's eye. "Course, you all knew that-"

It was all he ever did say. If he could, that is. He'd take a deep breath, and had learned to hold back his anger and hurt. If it hadn't been for his counselor, he probably would have exploded in emotion multiple times he'd start to say "I fell."

"I fell off of my roof in June," he said. There. He'd finally said it aloud, to someone other than Astrid. The pressure was off.

"I'm sorry?" Norah said. It wasn't a sympathy gesture. She didn't hear him. And, since Jake was craning around her, turning his ear towards Hiccup, he knew perhaps only Astrid heard him.

His breath caught in his chest again, and he forced himself to speak louder.

"I was on my roof-The ladder fell-I-"

He felt Astrid squeeze his arm again, and her cold fingertips brush up against his bicep. Without her there, he wouldn't have said it. And, even with her there, he didn't feel as though he HAD to say it. His business was his business. She didn't force him to talk about it. She never told him he should talk about it with people.

It actually felt good to say aloud. Finally. The weight fell off.

"The rumor around school was you had cancer," Norah said. Goodness, she was blunt. And it seemed to have annoyed Astrid a little bit.

"I didn't have cancer," Hiccup said gently, giving off a weak smile. "I know that's what everyone thinks." He glanced towards Astrid slightly. She had been the one to tell him this. "I had an accident on the roof of the house. I was coming down off of the ladder, it was dark, I slipped and-" He paused. Then shrugged his shoulders involuntarily. "Here we are."

"You should so run next year," Norah spat out suddenly, and Hiccup laughed a little. Her enthusiasm made him smile. She was always like that. The most poppy and bouncy person in school. Most competitive, too, next to Astrid.

"Perhaps," Hiccup said. "I haven't talked to my PT about it, though-"

"You still have to go to PT?" Jake said suddenly. "Jeeze, man. I tore my ACL and that was, what, four months of PT."

"I don't know if I will ever NOT be able to go," Jake said suddenly. "Although, I would like to get back into hiking again-"

"You never know, Hiccup," Astrid said. "Perhaps this summer you will get the clear-little more patience and practice..." She trailed off on him. Norah and Jake sitting there seemed to have put her on edge just a little bit, for some reason. Perhaps, like Hiccup, it was strange having another peer or two share into their conversations. Perhaps she felt protective of him knowing his inner struggle.

The four became silent for a little while. Hiccup felt Astrid lean her head into Hiccup, which he in turn tilted his head so it rested against her's. This was much like their evenings on the couch watching movies in private. The gesture seemed so foreign to him out in public. Hell, her holding onto his arm the way she was felt out of body.

But, at the same time, if felt nice.

...

Astrid was in the last heat of the meet. Unlike all but three of her other teammates, including Norah, she was the last to change. Most of the team had already changed out of their swimwear and into comfy hoodies and sweatpants. The girls, most of their backsides were soaking wet from still drip-drying hair. Hiccup noticed by the end of the meet, Astrid's lips appeared to have been turning a shade of dark purple. Why was she so cold?

While she was in the shower, Mr. Hofferson approached him. Apparently, her parents had been across the room, sitting in their own foldout chairs watching the meet. And Hiccup hadn't known or noticed. Once he made eye contact with the man, he stood up to shake his hand, but Mr. Hofferson waved him down to sit.

"Take it easy, kiddo," he said to him gently, reaching over the bleacher to shake Hiccup's hand, much like the two always did. Hiccup knew this is what Mr. Hofferson liked about him. He was never afraid to shake his hand, surprisingly. For this shy, backward young man, he always knew respect and how to be a gentleman.

"Darcy and I were wondering if you or your father minded if Astrid came over to stay with you both for a few hours," Mr. Hofferson said. He glanced around himself, warily it appeared. "We have a-situation in the neighborhood. I'd prefer Astrid not be there for-"

This peeked Hiccup's concern.

"What is it?"

"Well, I can't really say a lot," Mr. Hofferson said. "But the boys are coming over to my house to watch the neighborhood for a few hours. Astrid was supposed to go to her grandmother's-but-"

Hiccup bit the inside of his lip. Astrid's grandmother was just transferred to the nursing home when she fell earlier in the week.

"-And I don't want her there alone."

Hiccup nodded. "I'm sure Dad won't care."

"Good," he said. "She's got her car. I'll have her come home in a few hours."

Hiccup gave him a weak smile. "Can I have her home by eleven? I think Katherine will be over-"

Mr. Hofferson nodded.

"Is-Mrs. Hofferson okay with this?"

Darcy Hofferson hadn't exactly been a "Hiccup fan" from the beginning. Suddenly, her daughter was interested in "boys"...or well, "a boy." And, Darcy hadn't taken it too well. Plus, she herself had been dealing with her mother's failing mind. The same grandmother that had recently fallen, had been diagnosed with alzheimers a while back. Darcy Hofferson was having a hard time coping between her mother becoming more dependent on her daughters and Astrid become more independent.

"She is," Mr. Hofferson said. "She's coming around, son. Just one step at a time."

Hiccup nodded. "See you later, sir."

And with that, he watched Mr. Hofferson head out the side door, Mrs. Hofferson giving him a small smile and a wave herself as she headed out the door with her husband.

Hiccup sat on the bench alone until he realized he was in the way of the people attempting to clean up. Trash had been left in the bleachers. Hiccup picked up what he could around him, and placed it inside the trash cans around the pool deck. He was careful where he walked, and found himself a good spot out way against the wall. Astrid was taking a long time in the shower. Which, he didn't mind. He figured she was warming herself up in the shower.

But, he was wrong. She came out of the girl's bathroom with soaking wet hair. She was pale, and she didn't seem much better than he'd seen her just twenty minutes ago.

"The showers were freezing," she said to him quickly.

"That's all right," he said, taking her hand. "You can shower at my house. After all, the hot water tank isn't more than a month old."

He saw a curious and confused thought come across her face.

"Your dad said you are coming home with me for a bit-and I am to have you home around eleven."

She laughed. "I'm driving, goober. So, it's more like, I will have myself home-"

"I'll make sure you will get home, trust me. I'll follow you in my dad's car."

She gave him an eye roll, grabbed his hand, and lead him towards the side door to head down the hall and towards the parking lot. They were almost to the second doorway, when Hiccup suddenly felt himself slammed towards his right, where he lost his footing and collapsed into a stairwell. He felt Astrid's hand come lose from his.

...

**This is such a fun write! I love writing freely with no boundaries.**

**Let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

Adrenaline rushing through his body, Hiccup lifted his head to see what had happened. At first, he simply thought someone ran right into them coming around the corner. But, it was very obvious that was not the case.

Brad Crawford was one of Snotlout's friends. Well, at least they ran around together on the occasion. Both were muscular, except Brad was every bit of half a foot taller than Snotlout. Hiccup was certain he had at least fifty pounds on him compared to himself. He cringed seeing the smirk sliding across Brad's face.

"What is your problem?" Astrid said sternly, backing up towards Hiccup.

"My problem?" Brad said with a fake chuckle. "I don't know, Astrid. Let me see-you ditched me for this one-legged freak!"

Hiccup did not appreciate Brad's tone. Struggling to catch his prosthetic to the floor, he grabbed the banister along the wall to pull himself up.

"Brad, when will you get the picture?" Astrid said. "I have no interest in dating you-"

"One date, Astrid. That's all I ask-"

For a second Hiccup thought his chest was caving in. What was Brad even talking about? He'd never actually seen Astrid talk to the guy. Brad was a senior, if there was a class they had together it would have been gym class, or one of the electives. And, it wasn't Trig. After all, Hiccup knew Brad had flunked algebra once because they'd been in the same class together freshman year.

"I will not go on a date with you," she said again. Hiccup noted the emotion in her voice. She was both angry and fearful.

Brad took another step forward, and Hiccup bolted. He pulled Astrid behind him, keeping himself between she and Brad.

"Leave her alone," he said coldly. He almost did not hear himself speak.

"What's that, twerp?" Brad asked.

"I told you to leave her alone," he replied. "Can't you take a hint? She doesn't want anything to do with you."

"Oh, she did," Brad said, crossing his arms in front of himself, putting his chest out. He peered down at Hiccup as though he were an ant. "That was, until you had to go all heroic."

Hiccup glanced back at Astrid, but made sure not to keep Brad out of his vision. "What's he talking about?"

"He's just being a jerk," Astrid said.

"Up until that car accident, I had Astrid calling me every night, texting me good morning, sending me kissy faces-"

"Now you are just being ridiculous," she said to him, her tone in her voice raised. "I was helping you with your Senior essay-"

"Yes! Then you ditched me for this sack of bones-"

"Enough!" Hiccup said aloud, to both of them. He turned his attention back to Brad. "I don't know what kind of relationship you've had with Astrid, nor do I care. She's clearly told you to let her be. She wants nothing to do with you. So, let us go-"

"I'll let her go," Brad said coldly. "But-you-you I want to beat the snot out of!"

"He did nothing to you!" Astrid said.

Hiccup felt like his world was spinning. Perhaps it was all a dream. How could Astrid even be interested in someone like him? She was a star volleyball player, an excellent swimmer, and beyond his rank when it came down to popularity, friends and sports. Perhaps, if he hadn't gotten hurt over the summer, things might be different. Maybe they would have started talking a different way, verses the crazy accident that pulled their worlds together.

For years, since Kindergarten, their worlds had crossed. They'd barely spoken to each other, ever, even after being on the same track team for the last five years, had the same classes together, and even had done group projects together. Somehow, over the last six weeks, they'd formed this relationship. She was the first person he'd actually felt a connection to, a true connection. Even if they were just friends, not actually dating, he felt as though he could tell her anything and everything. She was so easy to talk to...

Perhaps this was why Brad had his eyes on her so badly. Perhaps while she was helping him with his report, for reasons unknown to him, he'd fallen for her just as he had with her kindness.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Brad move closer, and instead of rushing at Brad to push him off, he turned towards Astrid, pushing her out of the path of Brad. He heard her gasp loudly, actually heard her body hit the stone wall less than six or seven feet away, but at least she was out of the way.

Hiccup felt Brad on top of him, together they'd fallen onto the set of stairs, then down the four or five steps, Hiccup huddled into a ball, trying to protect his face from Brad. He felt a swift fist connect with his hip, which immediately made his leg throb all the way down towards his prosthetic. He held in the wince, hearing Astrid yell "Get off of him!"

Suddenly, the chest of his hoodie was grabbed up in Brad's beefy hand, and before Hiccup could even open his eyes to look, he felt a fist connect with his jaw. His head swung to the right, and he was on the ground again.

The taste of blood gathered in his mouth, and he could hear Brad panting loudly over his body, his face almost all the way in Hiccup's ear, waiting for him to move.

"Get up, Vast," he said. "I said get up!"

Hiccup lifted his head, and another fist connected with his cheek. Again, the taste of blood, only stronger. He choked on it as it gathered in his mouth. His head throbbed painfully. The light bothered his eyes. His only reason to keep them open was to make sure Astrid was all right.

"I told you to leave him alone!" Astrid yelled, and Hiccup heard her slap Brad into the face. Then, she gasped loudly, and Hiccup knew he had a hold of her.

He scrambled to his feet, again having a hard time placing the prosthetic onto the floor, but he stood and rushed after Brad. He hit Brad's arm, somehow forcing the lock on Astrid's arm to slip, and he heard her fall again from the force. Hiccup had somehow stayed standing, turning only to meet Brad's eyes.

"The lady asked you to leave her alone. And, that is what you should do," Hiccup said. "If you really wanted to see her, you would have left her alone. This isn't how you get someone to like you, Brad-"

Brad narrowed his eyes at Hiccup. "If you hadn't been there during the car accident-"

"Brad, that doesn't matter!" Astrid said to him. "You had no chance with me. The only reason I was helping you with that paper was so I could get NHS points for tutoring."

"Your text messages-"

"I never sent you any text with kissy faces, you idiot!" Astrid yelled. "You need to go back through your text messages and re-read them. You are living a fantasy-"

The brute's eyes narrowed, and he turned his attention onto Hiccup, who'd leaned against the wall to catch his breath. Blood filled the inside of his mouth, and he could barely see out of his left eye the throbbing was so bad.

"I am with Hiccup, Brad," Astrid said. "You need to accept that. Cornering me in the hallway-"

Hiccup felt his throbbing jaw clench.

"-And sending me flowers to the house-"

Hiccup's breath caught in his chest again.

"-And practically verbally abusing me because I turned you down to the dance-It all needs to stop."

Suddenly, Brad's eyes flashed, and he reached for the nearest item, a large trash can, and picked it up, throwing it across the hallway-at Hiccup.

Hiccup turned his back, blocking the sides of his head with his hands, and he felt himself thrown forward and into the doorway to the pool deck. He crashed through it and onto the wet tile floor, feeling his head snap when he hit. He could tell he was in the fetal position when he landed. He heard two men yelling, Astrid scream and a sob escaping her lungs.

"Get out!"

"What's your name?"

"We don't treat people like that!"

"Hun, are you all right?" a woman's voice.

"Hiccup!"

Astrid was at his side a second later. He could feel her hand shaking when she laid it over a shoulder so gently. He could tell she didn't want to hurt him more.

Hiccup remained in the fetal position on his side for more than a moment. His eyes remained closed, and he heard shouting.

The night he fell off the roof flooded back onto him. He could feel the wet evening grass on his body, soaking through his clothes as he laid there, pain flooding through his leg as he struggled to stay conscious. He almost thought he could hear his father's voice in the mix of the men asking him if he was all right. He almost thought he could hear the neighbor across the street yelling to his father asking what he could do to help.

"Hiccup!" Astrid said loudly. He felt pressure applied to his shoulder from her hand. "Hiccup, please-"

His eyes opened.

...

At home, Hiccup hung over the kitchen sink trying to rinse his mouth out with warm salt water. He still had the taste of blood in his mouth from where he'd bitten his tongue. After two or three spits, he would realize his mouth still was bleeding, so he'd take another swig of the water, swish, and spit it out again.

He could hear Astrid sniffling loudly behind him. She had lost it as soon as they'd walked through the door. Since Hiccup still had a mouthful of blood, all he could do was stand at the sink, holding her hand as she crumbled on the floor. He didn't know what else to do, nor did he feel as though he could do anything. He was having a difficult time shaking off that feeling that had come to him again.

The feeling only came to him in his dreams and nightmares. In the back of his head, he worried the PTSD was back, and his nightmares would wake up again. They'd been gone for four weeks. They'd been non-existent since November. It had taken him nearly five months, several trips to the psychiatrist, and two different anti-depressant medication to keep them at bay. Not to mention the long nights his father had to stay up with him from the night terrors.

Somehow, Astrid had made her way off of the floor and into the dining room chair.

For once, Hiccup didn't like being alone with her. And it had nothing to do with Astrid. He was terrified of being around her at that moment. With both of their nerves on edge, he didn't feel safe being around her alone.

"Did your dad or my dad respond?" he asked her, spitting out the last of the salt water in his mouth.

"No," Astrid said gently, almost with a slight hiccup in her own voice. "Want me to try Katherine?"

"Please," Hiccup said gently.

He'd learned over the last month that if he couldn't reach his father, Katherine wasn't too far. She actually paid attention to her phone going off, perhaps because she was always on edge waiting for her daughter, Heather, to reach her.

He heard Astrid tapping away on the phone screen. With each letter she pressed, it gave a small clicking noise.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked, her voice almost pleading.

Shaking is head, he knew it was a mistake. His head pounded violently.

"Astrid, are you all right?" he asked after a moment.

"Yes," she said gently.

"You aren't hurt anywhere? I know you hit that wall pretty hard-"

"Nothing major," she said to him. "Hiccup, I'm so sorry-"

"Stop it, Astrid," he said sternly. "This isn't anything you did-"

"He came after you because of me-"

"He's just messed up in the head, Astrid," Hiccup said. He was tasting blood again, and he spit the taste out of his mouth. In the sink was a little bit of pink. Finally, it was almost cleared up.

They hadn't called her father about the incident. In fact, the only parent that had been called was Brad's, and that was when the police were escorting him out in handcuffs. But, Hiccup was confident Astrid's father would be hearing about the mess soon. After all, he was a detective that worked with the city policy department, and the county sheriff. They'd both actually been surprised when he hadn't shown up with the cops.

"Katherine said they are at the grocery store."

Hiccup nodded. "Okay."

He didn't know how his father would react. Hiccup had been bullied more than once, especially by Snotlout. In fact, Brad had also bullied him in the past, but not actually fit-on-face contact. More verbal than anything. Mr. Vast didn't really know much about Hiccup being bullied or named called. He'd never wanted to burden his father with the issue, and Hiccup was constantly trying as a young boy to stand up for himself like his father had often told him.

It was easier trying to pretend it never happened than trying to stand up for himself.

"Did they say how long they were going to be?"

"At the check out. Once they are done they will come home."

"Okay."

Ten minutes later, Hiccup could no longer stand up. He needed to go lay down. Swallowing some pain reliever, he grabbed Astrid's hand and led her into the living room. He leaned himself against the arm of the couch, struggling to stay awake.

"Hiccup, you might have a concussion-"

"I'll be fine-" he said to her. "I don't need another trip to the emergency room. I've been there enough in the last ten months."

He'd been there a total of four times since then. Before that, he'd only been to the ER once in his life.

"That isn't funny," Astrid said to him.

"I wasn't laughing."

She huffed at him.

A few minutes later, they heard the door open. They knew that Katherine and Mr. Vast were home.

Hiccup closed his eyes and waited painfully, readying himself for his father to become angry. Possibly. It was hard to tell what was going to happen with his father. His father could be calm about something or jump to a hundred in a matter of a second.

Instead, he felt a warm hand touch his forehead. It wasn't his father, but Katherine. Her touch felt good against his skin. Motherly. Perhaps that was what he needed instead of his father.

Perhaps, not needed, but craved.

"Stoick-"

"I'm all right," Hiccup said to her, forcing himself to sit back up despite how sore he was becoming. He didn't want her to worry.

"What happened to you?" Katherine asked him. Hiccup could sense her shock and worry all at once.

Both he and Astrid remained silent.

Mr. Vast had sat an armful of groceries down on the table and he crossed the room to check on his son. Hiccup saw the concern on his father's face grow. His father tilted his head back and forth, accessing the damage.

"Blimey," he said quietly. "The last thing I would have expected was to see you beat up. Hiccup-what-what happened?"

"I-kinda got into a fight with a kid at the fitness center-"

"Over what?" Mr. Vast asked.

"Long story," Astrid breathed.

...

**What do you think?**


	4. Chapter 4

"It doesn't take twenty minutes-or two people for that matter-to grab a gallon of OJ from the trunk of the car," Hiccup said with a sigh.

"Should I-look out the window?" Astrid asked him quietly. He could tell she was edgy, and he felt bad she was trapped between their walls.

They'd been sitting in silence for the last half hour. Hiccup had been holding a bag of frozen peas to his aching forehead and cheek. He debated for a fraction of a minute, then nodded to Astrid.

She leaned back against the couch, and she edged the curtain over a little bit so that she could see outside. "They are standing at the back of the car. Looks like they are talking."

"Just talking? Or-" Hiccup wanted to saying "fighting." But he didn't. His father's temper often took over the best of him. He'd been worried-and wondering-if Katherine had seen this side of him at all. Perhaps at work, or during a court room appearance. Katherine was a petite woman. Astrid was small, but Katherine was much shorter. He'd often wondered if Katherine could put up with a man over six foot, with a ton of muscle, with a big attitude.

"Just talking it looks like," Astrid replied to Hiccup.

"Okay," he said. It was a relief to know.

Hiccup's thoughts were overpowering him. He wanted Astrid to go home, but he knew that was not possible. Not until around eleven. Her father trusted him and had asked permission for her to stay with them for a little while. He wanted his own time to gather his thoughts on the whole matter...and perhaps shake off the flashback he'd had.

Why had he had it? He wasn't sure. The conditions of it all weren't even the same. He hadn't fallen down a full story. He'd been pushed down to the floor. He hadn't had someone beat the snot out of him before. And, it was outside, not inside. These thoughts were rolling through his head.

"Hiccup, you're shaking-" Astrid's voice was so quiet he barely heard her. If she hadn't touched his hand prior, he probably wouldn't have noticed she had been talking to him.

"I'll be all right," he said, pushing a smile past. "Promise."

"Still-" was all she could say.

Suddenly the door opened again, and once Mr. Vast and Katherine were past the dividing wall, they approached the living room. No gallon of orange juice was in sight. Of course, it was an excuse to go talk to Katherine without their ears leaning in to hear.

"So, kids, tell us what happened," Mr. Vast said. Katherine sat down in the chair, while Mr. Vast remained standing. The look in his eye told Hiccup this was going to be like a deposition. He'd seen the look before from his childhood. He'd be sitting in his father's office, reading a book while he interviewed multiple clients. Or, he'd be sitting in the waiting area waiting for hours before he and the parties would emerge from the conference room. He had the same cold look.

"Well-" Astrid started. Hiccup felt bad for her. She was being put on the spot. And, he was half expecting his father to lose his temper in the next five minutes...if they were lucky. "We were leaving-and Brad pushed Hiccup into the stairs."

"Okay-" His father's tone again. In such short sentences it wasn't enough detail for his father.

"Brad was waiting in the hallway between the double doors," Hiccup said now. "When we went to leave through the second door, I was pushed into the stares. He-he made motion to grab Astrid-or, well, it seemed to be. I stood in front of her. Both of us trying to talk some sense into him."

"Go on-"

"Stoick," Katherine's voice said gently. It had it's own tone to it. It was as though she was reminding him to stay calm.

"I pushed Astrid out of the way so he couldn't get her. He'd hit me a few times-I-" Hiccup trailed off. A sudden thought occurred to him. Would he get in trouble to actually attacking Brad. He didn't even put a scratch on the guy. And, Astrid slapped him once in the face-

"Hiccup-"

His father pulled him back. "Um-I-He had a hold of Astrid's arm, and I hit him."

He thought he could hear a cricket in the room. Perhaps. No. But the room was so quiet for a long, agonizing ten to fifteen seconds.

"You hit him?" Mr. Vast asked Hiccup.

"He had a hold of Astrid's arm-"

"He did," she said. "And, at one point I slapped him in the face for pushing Hiccup."

Through his one good eye, Hiccup saw Katherine's eyes raise up.

"So-then what happened?" Mr. Vast asked.

"Brad pushed Hiccup forward-and he went through the door and onto the pool deck. There were still adults in there. Two of them restrained Brad. Until the cops came-"

"And how did you two not get tied up with the cops?" Mr. Vast asked. "I'm surprised the facility and one of the cops didn't give me a call. Or-Astrid, does your father know what is going on?"

Astrid slowly shook her head. "No. He's-" She seemed beside herself for a moment. "He's doing an undercover operation at home right now."

So, she knew what was going on with her dad. He'd seemed so secretive. Hiccup felt he should have known what was going on with the comment "...the boys are coming over to my house to watch the neighborhood for a few hours..." Why hadn't Hiccup picked up on that?

"I still don't understand why I wasn't called," Mr. Vast said. He turned to Katherine. "Do you think I should have been notified?"

"Stoick-" she began, but stopped. "I think they only time the facility needs to notify you of an incident like this is if Hiccup needed to go to the ER-"

"I still may have to take him-"

"No, Dad," Hiccup said. "I'm fine-" He didn't want Astrid to worry. And he didn't want to go to the ER...again. He was tired of being a regular at the hospital.

"You don't know that, Hiccup."

"How many scuffles did you get into at my age?" Hiccup asked.

"I've had my fair share-you on the other hand-"

Hiccup's jaw clenched. His one stubbornness-that his father swore over and over again came from his mother-was going to show. "Dad, I have a busted lip, a sore jaw and I know I am going to have a black eye. Outside of that, I will be fine. I've been through worse-and you know it."

Silence hung in the room at that.

"Astrid-let's-uh-I forgot bread for the grilled cheese-let's go for a drive." Katherine rose quickly, and Astrid followed promptly. It was obvious that the girls were growing uncomfortable with the discussion. Hiccup was sure that Astrid felt like a thorn in someones thumb. With a quick glance at Hiccup, she followed Katherine out the door.

Silence hung in the room again. Mr. Vast hadn't sat down. He was starting to pace.

"Dad, stop," Hiccup said, grabbing the bag of frozen peas off of the cushion beside him. Soon they wouldn't be any good to use as an ice pack. They were mostly thawed, and dripping down his hand and arm.

"You've never been in this much trouble, Hiccup," Mr. Vast said, his volume increasing just slightly. He continued to pace.

"Dad, I did not insinuate this. That was part of the reason the facility let me go. Why they didn't call you, I don't know."

"Why didn't you call me?"

Hiccup remained silent for a moment. "Dad-" He paused. "I had an episode-"

Mr. Vast looked at him a moment, his expression softening. "Again?"

"It was different this time," Hiccup said. "I-I can't explain it. But, when they told me we could leave, we left. I just wanted to get home. I had blood still coming out of my mouth, and-"

"Speaking of 'blood', and 'mouth'- any of your teeth get knocked out?"

Hiccup shook his head. "No, my teeth are fine."

Mr. Vast's hands went to his hips, and on cue, Hiccup heard him sigh heavily. He was easing up a bit.

"Dad-I'm sorry I didn't call you. I'm sorry that I have disappointed you-"

"You think you disappointed me?" Mr. Vast asked him. Hiccup didn't speak. But, he couldn't meet his father's eyes, which was hard for him to admit. He always liked keeping eye contact with someone. "This was not your fault. I know that. I don't think you started this."

"I've never been a fighter," Hiccup said.

"I know you haven't." Mr. Vast came around the coffee table and took a seat next to his son. He touched a finger under Hiccup's chin, forcing him to look at him. Lowering the bag of peas, Mr. Vast took a good look at his swollen cheek. "Keep icing it. Looks like he hit you pretty hard."

Silence hung between them again.

"You said that Brad attacked you out of no where?" Mr. Vast asked.

"He apparently has this huge crush on Astrid," Hiccup said. He glanced away. "She helped him with a paper. And, he does have her number. Guess he thought she sent him kissy faces, and a lot of other texts-and he fell for her."

Mr. Vast narrowed his eyes at his son. "Does that sound like Astrid to you?"

Hiccup shook his head. "Dad, I think he was trying to make me jealous and scare me away."

"Have you seen these messages?"

"No," Hiccup said. "And, I am not interested in seeing them in all honesty-if they do exist. It really isn't my business-"

"Hiccup, you just had your face punched in by this guy. You don't think it's not your business?"

"I'm not gonna pry on Astrid. It is what it is. I can't change it. She's been here with me through a lot here lately."

"Hiccup, you-you don't love her do you?"

Hiccup felt himself freeze up. His internal organs felt like butterflies. His shoulders tensed up. Honestly, he didn't know. Warm, fond feelings came to him when he'd get a text from her. Each morning she would text him, telling him "good morning" and he'd respond back. She always asked him how he'd slept. Good or bad. She wanted to know. He felt as though she cared for his well-being. And he knew he cared about her's.

"Do you love Katherine?" Hiccup asked.

"We aren't talking about me," Mr. Vast said. "We are talking about you and Astrid."

"No, Dad. Tell me-do you love Katherine?"

His father's cheeks went rosey in embarrassment. "I-I think I-have a fondness for her."

"In what way?" Hiccup asked him. "Seriously-when you think of Katherine what is the first thing you think of?"

"Well-I-" His father was silent. "She was there for me when I felt the most alone."

Hiccup knew what his father was talking about. With being an only child, and his mother gone, and no living grandparents, his father was alone in taking care of Hiccup. No siblings, no distant relatives. Mr. Vast had been alone since Hiccup's mother left.

"Dad, I know when I fell, Katherine was the one you confided in. And, and I know you did't mean to fall for her."

Mr. Vast glanced at Hiccup, and agreed with a nod of the head.

"It happened. And, that's what happened with Astrid and I. I just-happened to be stubborn enough not to listen to you that night. And, somehow, she's been by my side since." Hiccup rolled up the sleeve to his hoodie, revealing the pink scar that stretched down his arm. "I didn't go looking for this relationship. I didn't ask to be a part of her life. Somehow, we just click. And, I don't know if I am in love with her. But, I know I care about her."

Silence again, before Hiccup spoke.

"Dad, I trust her to know that he isn't talking to Brad behind my back. I've never seen her physically talk to the guy. And, I am in NHS, too. Mr. Bryce asked me months ago to tutor some of the guys in math for my service credits and because of my PT, the bus and all I turned it down. Astrid-I think she picked one of those up. I don't know. But, it all makes sense to me. At least-for the most part."

"What doesn't make sense to you, kiddo?" his father asked.

"Why when I fell today-why I would go all panicky when the whole situation was different."

Mr. Vast sighed. "Why do retired service men hear MedFlight and their brains change gears-putting them back in the war?"

Hiccup glanced over at his father.

"Your doctor is right. You have some form of PTSD. And, perhaps we need to look into options of treating it."

Hiccup sighed. "Dad, I'm okay right now. I-I kinda of just-shut down."

"Well, it's something we should talk to Kim about, son." Mr. Vast stood up and moved back around the coffee table and across the room. "I see you haven't gotten your crutch out yet."

Hiccup glanced down at his legs. He actually hadn't changed out of the damp clothes he'd been wearing. He barely noticed now that they were wet.

"Leg isn't too bad," Hiccup said. "New prosthetic seems to be helping a lot."

Mr. Vast nodded. "Now, would you want to help your old man make some chili?"

Hiccup could tell they were done discussing the matter for now. And, he was thankful they were.

...

After dinner was done, Hiccup settled himself onto the couch. He was beginning to feel the soreness setting in more. He actually took another pain reliever.

"You are going to kill your liver," Astrid said to him.

Hiccup shrugged. "Hey, all things considering the only time I take something is when I can't stand it anymore. I learned a long time ago to manage pain before I end up sick over it."

Astrid shook her head. Hiccup could see her flipping through her phone now.

"Did you dad ever text you?" Hiccup asked.

"Hmmmm?" Astrid took a moment to take in what he had asked. "Oh, yes. He did. Asked if we were both all right, and I told him we were for the most part." She winced a little bit as she took a good look at Hiccup's face. "All things considering."

"Battle wound," Hiccup said, and she gave him an annoyed smirk.

"Here," she said, moving herself closer to him, handing him her phone. "These are the messages-"

"Astrid, I don't need you to show them to me-"

"No, I want you to see them. I was telling you the truth-"

"Astrid, no," Hiccup said, pushing her phone back to her. "I believe you, okay. Brad's always been-kinda delusional like Snotlout can be. Ya know? Perhaps, I don't know. He just kind of lost his mind for a moment."

She sighed at him. "There's seriously, like, a dozen messages on here. And, for the most part, it's about meeting times. And, yes, I did tell him 'Good morning' once. But, it was telling him to not forget to bring his rough draft-"

"Astrid-" Hiccup said, giving her a small laugh. "It is what it is, milady." He shoved the phone out of his general direction. Eventually he pulled the phone from her hands, she looking hopeful he'd take a look at what she was talking about, but instead he sat it down on the coffee table. "I don't care about Brad, all right?"

"I just want you to know the truth," Astrid said.

"I know the truth," Hiccup said. "I don't need the proof."

He put an arm around her and pulled her close to him. She seemed to have loosened up a little bit due to this.

"Astrid, I believe that since you were willing to fight with me, that it was true. And, even if it was true, the past is the past. You are here now, and I'm here with you...unless you decide you want out."

"Don't say things like that," Astrid said to him. "I don't like that...that, self-doubt. Hiccup, I'm here with you, and I don't plan on going anywhere, okay?"

"Astrid, we've only been together-what? Two months? If that?" Hiccup tried to think about when the accident happened, but he could't remember. His mind was drawing a blank.

"I don't care," she said, and she leaned closer into him, forcing his arm to drape around her in a tight squeeze. "This is where I want to be at. With you, with Katherine and your dad. This-This right here is my ideal Saturday night."

"Well, my ideal Saturday night is minus a fist fight," Hiccup said.

Astrid shoved his ribs with her elbow, causing him to wince. She immediately regretted it, hearing him gasp a little bit to catch his breath.

"I'm sorry!"

"I'll live," he said, choking on his breath for a second. He gave her a wink.

...

**This was not how I foresaw the ending but this is the end of this fic. Thank you to everyone who have been following, reviewing and keeping me going. There are days I feel as thought my writing is getting stronger, and the creativity pour from my fingertips. Tonight was not one of those nights, but I always like a good father/son talk with Stoick and Hiccup. **

**Thank you again! I need some ideas for a new fic, so if anyone wants to send me some ideas, I might take them into consideration :)**


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